3D Laser Scanner Used In Investigation
A Lexington man has been taken into custody and charged in connection with an altercation on Bunker Hill Mill Road on Tuesday morning of last week during which a gun was fired.
Christopher Andrew Tolley, 32, was taken into custody by the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office on warrants obtained in Rockbridge County.
He has been charged with three felonies: one count of discharging a firearm at or within an occupied dwelling, one count of possession of a firearm by a nonviolent felon within 10 years of conviction, and one count of use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He is also charged with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery. He is currently being held without bond at Rockbridge Regional Jail.
According to a press release from the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call on the 100 block of Bunker Hill Mill Road at approximately 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 2. The caller had reported an altercation between two men, during which one man produced a firearm, fired at the other and then fled the scene.
A search warrant was obtained for the crime scene and the investigators utilized a Leica 3D laser scanner to conduct a trajectory investigation and collect forensic evidence.
The laser scanner technology allows investigators to create “forensic digital twin” of a crime scene by capturing millions of spatial data points and high-definition imagery. The “twin” crime scene helped investigators with the trajectory investigation to determine the path along which the bullets traveled, the positions of the individuals involved and reconstructing the sequence of events.
“This kind of violence has no place in Rockbridge County,” Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin said in the press release. “When someone chooses to bring a firearm into a dispute, they’re putting lives at risk, and we’re going to respond quickly and hold them accountable. I’m proud of the work our deputies and investigators did on this case and the strong partnership we have with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. That teamwork allowed us to locate and take this individual into custody safely and without further incident.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional charges are possible. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office at (540) 463-7328.
